Five Sussex Police officers under criminal investigation after Haywards Heath death

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Published:11:36Wednesday 24 December 2014

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Five Sussex Police officers’ conduct is now under criminal investigation following death of Duncan Tomlin in Haywards Heath in July.

The five officers will be interviewed by The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) investigators, under criminal caution, in the New Year.

Shortly before midnight on 26 July police attended Ryecroft in Haywards Heath following a call from a member of the public.

They approached Mr Tomlin and during the course of their interaction with him, restrained him, and placed him in a police van with three officers where he became unresponsive.

Mr Tomlin, formerly of Woodstock, Oxfordshire, was removed from the van on South Road in Haywards Heath at 12.10am on July 27.

He was not breathing, CPR was performed, and he was subsequently transferred by ambulance to a nearby hospital where he died on July 29.

IPCC investigators have obtained statements from significant witnesses, obtained and viewed CCTV footage of the incident, and reviewed initial statements from officers involved which were made on the night of the incident.

IPCC investigators are examining the actions of officers, including the restraint used on Mr Tomlin in the street and in the rear of the police van, and the medical treatment provided by them.

In October the officers were served with gross misconduct notices by the IPCC.

The five officers are made up of a police sergeant and four police constables.

In October the IPCC stated it was also examining whether there was a significant delay in the police contacting Mr Tomlin’s family.